Saving money, getting clean clothes, and being kind to our earth are not phrases you hear all the time together, or maybe you do when you hang out with me and my friends. This little recipe is fast and easy, you will probably take more time finding the ingredients in your store than you will making the laundry soap. Once you know where to look for the ingredients, and there are only 3, this will no longer be a time consuming task.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Borax (I do not know of any substitute for this)

1 cup Washing Soda (not baking soda)

Grated Soap

Bar of Soap (like Fels Naptha, Zote, Ivory)

Grate the soap-I use a hand held grater. The first batch I made, I didn’t have a grater, so I cut the soap into small pieces, but they didn’t dissolve very well in the wash. Make sure to wash your grater well if you use your grater for food.

*DO NOT leave grated yellow cheese unattended-it really looks like cheese and will ruin a perfectly good taco.

Option 1:

Put grated soap, 1 cup of Borax, and 1 cup of washing soda into a large bowl. Stir ingredients gently together. Pour powder mix into a plastic container with a lid and label as detergent.

Use about 2 TBS for each load. I have a front load washer, and I usually add a little bit of vinegar or Pine Sol to the liquid detergent area to help with sweaty teenage boy smell. (To measure out 2 TBS, I use on old medicine measuring cup)

Have fun being thrifty!

]]>https://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/11/10/laundry-detergent-home-made-easy/feed/0fishdoswimImageImageImageImageAutumn is Falling!https://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/10/31/autumn-is-falling/
https://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/10/31/autumn-is-falling/#respondWed, 31 Oct 2012 14:36:52 +0000http://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/10/31/autumn-is-falling/Whatever you want to call it, Fall/Autumn is a wonderful time of year. It has taken me a long time to find joy in Fall, I always hated the longer nights, and cold, damp, dreary weather, but I have come to embrace this time of year like a warm blanket wrapped over my shoulders, and like hot cocoa in my cup, I drink up the beauty of this season.

The first hints of Autumn can be found on your grocery store shelves, where everything is now pumpkin until Thanksgiving. I am pumpkin crazy this year, not sure why, but I can’t seem to get enough of this wonderful fruit(?). I’m having pumpkin cream cheese on my bagel in the morning, pumpkin cookies for a snack, pumpkin marshmallows on a roasted fire, and pumpkin coffee to wash it all down. This is only a small part of what I see in the stores. I want to try them all.

Black-eyed Susans bloom like wild flowers-wait, are they wild flowers? Not sure where they rank, but they are gorgeous. There are other wonderful fall flowers that seem to wait summer’s plants to finish their show, and then KABOW!! the flowers are full and lustrious with long lasting blooms until nearly November. Mums, these pretty bluish purple flowers, and the “Susans”. Their splendor cannot be touched by spring or summer’s blooms. It is the last push for color before the winter months.

Another wonderful, unexpected gift that Autumn has in store is the Fall Garden. My garden is still springing with peppers, tomatoes, spinach, and some other sorts of greens that can be cooked up or chopped and served in with a delightful salad. I can find all kinds of edible gourds and squash also, at road side stands, farmer’s markets, and the local grocery stores. These are so warm and cozy when baked in the oven with a flavor packed dressing in the center. Yum, makes me want to start dinner right now.

Fall also has 2, count them, 2 big holidays on the calendar. Halloween and Thanksgiving, very social, very fun, very food filled holidays. These bring people out in all kinds of weather, all kinds of family, and all kinds of friendships. We enjoy the company the holiday brings and can continue to feast on the yummy memories throughout those long, dark, cold nights.

With the leaves and temps dropping outside, and fireplaces and gatherings getting cranked up, who could deny that fall is a wonderful season to enjoy. It has taken me half of a lifetime to realize the true beauty of this season. Maybe, before I was too green, to much spring in my step. The time has come for me to embrace the Autumn of Life.

We bought this in 2005 (or maybe 2004) and just finished it off June 2012.

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I have never been a big fan of buying in bulk, especially at the big stores, but when we lived in Lantana the local Sam’s Club had nice deals, and was just as close as the grocery store. We began using the Sam’s more during the hurricane seasons because they always had lots of water and other supplies before the storm and seemed to open soon after a storm. At some point in 2004 or 2005 we bought this huge roll of plastic wrap. We used it generously, although if I can put something in a plastic container with a lid I try to use it because you can re-use a container. Well, last night as I was putting away Cody’s b-day cake, and I used the last of this good buy.

When we bought it, I wasn’t most fond of it. It took up a lot of room, and after the first couple of months the cutter bar fell off. I kept a knife inside the box after that to help with the tearing/cutting of the wrap. After some more time, the box needed to be re-inforced to keep the roll in place-notice the duct tape. After a few years, it became a staple in the house. Funny how we all joked about the freaky endless supply of plastic wrap. It never seemed to get low on the roll.

It moved to SC with us, has seen many holidays here and in Fla, and Harry said he had begun to think that this roll of wrap was counting down his life. Well last night the last of the plastic was used, and Harry is still here.

Will we ever buy another big roll of plastic wrap? Who knows what the future holds, but if I decide that plastic wrap is what I want in my future, I am not going to play around with some weenie roll of wrap-I will go again for the gusto, visit a local bulk buy store, and begin to enjoy the next wonderful wrapped up years.

]]>https://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/the-endless-roll-of-plastic-wrap/feed/0fishdoswimBought in 2005 (or maybe 2004)Bulk buy-in 2005 or maybe 2004Bottom of boxNOTHING SAYS BREAKFAST LIKE PANCAKE MUFFINShttps://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/04/15/nothing-says-breakfast-like-pancake-muffins/
https://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/04/15/nothing-says-breakfast-like-pancake-muffins/#respondSun, 15 Apr 2012 21:22:22 +0000http://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/?p=126Sunday morning and what to make for breakfast??? Eggs? Well, we had breakfast for dinner on Wednesday. Little milk, so limited on cereal for 5 people. How about Gingerbread pancakes? I can use the gingerbread pancake mix I got to give as a Christmas present but never got around giving.

So, I’m making pancakes, which I haven’t done for quite some time. I recently thew away my electric skillet due the non-stick coming off and very uneven heating.

So I have 2 choices: a large round pan with non-stick bottom or a regular size cast-iron pan (which I really never use). I start with the larger of the pans. It is a little bigger than my biggest burner , so I still have uneven heating. Parts of the pancakes are black, and parts are nearly raw. I move on to the cast iron skillet, pancakes want to stick, so I use a LOT of oil in the pan for cooking-yuck. The pancakes cook still not so well, and seem to be very greasy. I have now made about 6 pancakes, and figure at this rate, I will be done with the batter in about….who knows but it will take too long.

What to do, what to do?? I figure I am not out anything, and the batter looks like muffin mix, I mean I added the same stuff to the batter that I do when I make muffins, so out come the regular muffin pan and liners, I spray non-stick in the liners and add the mix. Still more batter left so I get out the mini-muffin pan and spritz with non-stick. Throw in the oven at 400 degrees, and keep a close eye on the muffin/pancakes.

They turned out so yummy.

Even the mini-muffins turned out deliciously yummy. Pretty ginger color, no burn spots, no raw, spots, just yummy all over the plate . The best part, we all got to eat pancake/muffins together, none of that two pancakes ready at a time.

Compare the pancakes with the muffin pancakes (still trying to figure out what to call them).

Here are some just yummy pics of the pancakes/muffins with syrup & butter.

]]>https://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/04/15/nothing-says-breakfast-like-pancake-muffins/feed/0fishdoswimThe MixThe PansBLECH!big muffinsMinisCompare for yourselfDSCN1291Snapshot_20120401_3Snapshot_20120401_4Hey, Does This Stink?https://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/03/11/hey-does-this-stink-24/
https://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/03/11/hey-does-this-stink-24/#commentsSun, 11 Mar 2012 13:41:57 +0000http://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/?p=119Some questions make you want to disappear as soon as you hear them. “Do you think this is OK to use or is it spoiled?” “Take a sip, is the milk spoiled?” “Is this too spicy?” and of course, “Are my pits stinky?”. Usually, I am the one being asked, and some I shy away from gracefully, some I take the challenge, and some I just have to say N-O!

Well this week I have been asking my husband to smell my shirts at the end of the day, and with preeettty good answers, I must say. I am trying to free myself from consumerism and make more of the products I use around my home. This weeks challenge was DEODORANT. I have had a normal week as far as sweating goes, and I think this is an easier change than switching from using shampoo.

First the ingredients: Baking Soda, Cornstarch, and tea tree oil (hardest item on the list to find).

Recipe: 1 cup baking soda

1 cup cornstarch

3-6 drops tea tree oil (found this at a craft store near soap making products)

from what I have researched some people use lavender, but I have read that tea tree oil has antibacterial/anti-fungal properties

Mix ingredients in a container that can be sealed tight. Apply to underarms as needed (1-2 times a day for me, some people use every 2 days). I apply with a large cosmetic brush (like I am painting my pit), but if you have an old powder puff around that could work, or cotton ball/pad.

I need to add a couple of notes that I have found this week in using this recipe:

*Tea tree oil has a strong musky scent-but it doesn’t last

*The powder is pretty fine, and will get on clothes on the lower part of my body (skirt, pants) and counter top. After I put the brush in the powder, I tap it on the container to reduce powder flying away.

*I don’t know if I need to add more 1/2 through the day, but I just feel better if I re-apply after being sweaty

I have not had anyone (not that they would) say that I am stinky. Some days no smell, some a bit more than I would like to admit. I had this with commercial deodorant too, though, so not a big deal.

**Remember this is DEODORANT, not antiperspirant, you will still sweat. As for the sweating, I think it is about the same if not less. During a normal day I will have bouts of activity (story times with songs and movement for about 25 min) and lulls (at a desk).

All in all, I am glad to be free of feeling that I am a slave to a SECRET. I will now try other essential oils in varying DEGREEs to give the powder a nice smell. Who knows, at some point I might even try a (speed)STICK deodorant recipe.

Best of luck on a new and healthy, not to mention cost effective way of life!!!

These are all over the internet, and many books that have been out for years. People have been trying different proportions and ingredients, and all thinking I have the magical potion. I’m not sure if the one I will walk you through is magical or not, but if you have shirts with bad stains in the armpits and still want the shirt, then try this concoction. It is fairly easy to find the ingredients and not really expensive. So lets get to the meat of the post.

First the stains, yes, I know nasty. These shirts had been washed, and yes I was wearing them with a little more stain each time I wore them because I could not get the stain out in a regular wash. The shirts are turned inside out, and even thought the stain was less noticeable on the outside , it was there. (I found that if I ironed the shirt, then the stain was could hardly be seen.) The shirts are polyester/spandex blend, just for reference.

Next are the ingredients that I used:

White vinegar:1 cup,

Washing Soda (not Baking Soda and a little harder to find): 1/4 cup

20 Mule Team Borax: 1/4 cup

I used a large plastic container to mix it all up Ingredients are added in the order that they are listed. There will be fizzing as you add the Washing Soda to the vinegar. Just add it slowly. Stir, and then add Borax.The powders might not dissolve all the way, no big deal.

Now, I took only one side of shirt and put it into the solution. I only did one side to check effectiveness. I did NOT rub the solution in or scrub with any kind of brush, just made sure the pits were soaking in the solution. I let it soak for 20 minutes, then put it in the wash with other clothes to make a full load. I did add the remaining solution to the washer, I figured it could be a booster for all the clothes. Then on into the dryer, and AMAZING!!!

I am surprised the stains came out of both sides of the shirts. ???? Not sure why, but I think I am going to mix some of this up and have it on hand to add to each load of clothes. I guess I need to add that the laundry detergent that I use is a home-made powder mix-not a commercial brand.

This book has been out for a while and I just got around to reading it. Loved it. Some parts are a little slow, but overall story and message is inspiring. I am glad that I didn’t go see it at the movies a few years ago, because, I just don’t see the movie doing this book the justice it deserves. Let’s face it, when you see movie that is based on a book, you are seeing the writers pov, the director’s pov, the cameraman’s pov, and then you get to add yourself into the picture. As I read this book, I felt myself transforming as the author transforms her life. Although I saw her as a bit needy & dependent on others around her (especially men) in the beginning of the story, it was good to see the transformation of her confidence and self worth of womanhood as the story progressed. I am not convinced that will stay so independent, because of her new and “all in love in such a short time” relationship with Felipe. Girls who need men think that love happens in a week or month, it happens over time sweetheart, and sometimes it is that quick attraction that turns into long term.

(Stepping off the soap box)

I love how the story addresses the power of meditation/prayer, the importance of knowing who you are, the honesty to know yourself, to stand for what you believe, do what you want to do-this is life..LIVE!

Scores an 8 for inspiration (scale 1-10)

]]>https://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/02/10/eat-pray-love-review/feed/0fishdoswimSnapshot_20120210_1Virgin Bloghttps://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/virgin-blog/
https://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/virgin-blog/#commentsWed, 08 Feb 2012 02:04:57 +0000http://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/?p=4I love blogs, love to read, and now I will love the blogging on my own. Yea! I love that with blogs you can stay as long as you like, leave when you need, and revisit any time of day or night. Um, fellows in the Man-Cave blog, excuse me, but I just need to have a quick slip by to get to the girls room…Get out of here, I have not used shampoo for 2 years either…Have you ever tried Geocaching? you would love it…

Blogging is a great network to get new recipes (do you have pics with that?), parenting advice/ideas (now you are not crazy, we all go through that), and so much more.

I am ready to let this adventure begin, take me on the road to ???. We are all growing, living, learning everyday we are here on this big blue marble. Enjoy, share, and lets all make this a wonderful fulfilled life.

]]>https://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/virgin-blog/feed/1fishdoswimIMG_0269Hello world!https://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/hello-world/
https://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/hello-world/#commentsTue, 07 Feb 2012 13:37:45 +0000http://fishdoswim.wordpress.com/?p=1Welcome to WordPress.com. After you read this, you should delete and write your own post, with a new title above. Or hit Add New on the left (of the admin dashboard) to start a fresh post.